Excess Weight Can Help: Glaucoma

When was the last time you ever heard that excess weight can help you?

Harvard researchers say that being overweight can help women actually resist a form a glaucoma called primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), one of the most common age-related eye diseases.

With each unit increase in body mass index (BMI) the risk for normal-tension glaucoma decreased in women of white European descent.

"Glaucoma is a potentially blinding illness that damages the optic nerve. Increased pressure in the eye is linked to optic nerve damage. Effective treatments to control eye pressure are available. But in people with normal-tension glaucoma, optic nerve damage happens even though eye pressure is not high," according to researchers.

They speculate that fatty tissue in the body "may release hormonally related signals that help prevent optic nerve deterioration."

However, researchers warn against gaining weight in hopes of preventing glaucoma since we know about the relationship of overweight and obesity with numerous other ailments including heart disease and diabetes.

What You Can Do To Decrease Your Risk For Dementia

In an article by Robert Preidt for MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a new study has shown that "it may be possible to lower the incidence of dementia by reducing rates of diabetes and depression, boosting education, and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption."

The exact cause of dementia is still unknown but scientists in the study believe that their are greater risks when you have a history of depression, a diet rich in sugar, alcohol consumption, tobacco use, less of an education and vascular problems. The study of 1,433 healthy people over 65 living in the south of France showed that reducing or eliminating any of the above significantly reduced their chances of contracting dementia.

Eliminating depression decreased your risk by 10%. Increasing education improved your odds of having dementia by 18%.

Advantages of a Health Advocate

With my mother in the hospital and my mother-in-law in a skilled nursing facility, I know what it's like being a health advocate. Just when a doctor delivers a serious diagnosis, the advocate can pay close attention (hopefully) while the patient sits stunned and scared.

Listening to the doctor and asking questions is a vital piece in healthcare issues. The advocate who speaks up for the patient and helps him/her better understand the illness also secures the care and resources to make the journey easier.

The health advocate can be a family member, trusted friend or co-worker or a hired professional (your insurance may cover this cost), someone who knows your medical history in depth and is calm, detail-oriented and can ask questions and convey responses clearly.

This is what a health advocate can do for you:

1. Ask questions and voice your concerns

2. Compile and update your list of medicines

3. Help with after-care--following medication and other treatment instructions

4. Help arrange transportation

5. Research treatment options, procedures, doctors and hospitals

6. Assist with insurance

7. Ask the "what's next" questions

8. Submit an advance directive to your doctor

According to physician and author Dr. Carolyn Clancy, "It's likely that you or a loved one will one day need a health advocate. For many patients, the benefits of having an advocate are priceless because he or she can help you understand your options and give you peace of mind so you can focus on your recovery."

Source: Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D., Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Medical Marvel: Cold Caps Save Hair During Chemotherapy

On ABC this morning there was a segment about a medical marvel--about 70% of breast cancer (and some other cancers) patients may save their hair by applying cold caps during chemotherapy. It's not an easy process changing the caps every 30 minutes for 7 hours but my cousin vouches that it has preserved all her hair (and she even grew some!) with her 3rd (or 4th?) bout of chemotherapy treatments for her Stage 4 colon cancer.

She contacted Penguin Cold Cap creator Frank Fronda and through him met a woman in her area who had successfully used the caps. Not only did this woman attend Eve's chemotherapy appointments, she graciously helped and instructed Eve's dream team how to properly apply the caps.

If you or someone you know has cancer and is traumatized about losing their hair, check into this treatment. It cannot help with all kinds of cancer (leukemia, etc.) but it can give you hope.

However, we are reminded (and I ardently agree) that just like a man is not his car, a woman is not her hair.

Angioplasty Does NOT Cut The Risk of Heart Attacks and Death

Angioplasty reduces angina, a cardiac-linked chest pain, in stable heart patients. It does not cut the risk of heart attacks or death in these patients even though the patients believe that they might have a heart attack within 5 years if they don't have the procedure. Consultation with their cardiologist does little to end this common misbelief.

Most cardiologists have reported that angioplasty mainly reduces pain and improves the quality of life. However, medication alone--in many cases--can achieve the same benefit.

Cancer Screening: What's New

A screening called virtual colonoscopy is a less invasive means to identify colorectal cancer. According to a study at the American College of Radiology/American Roentgen Ray Society, the virtual colonoscopy examines the entire abdomen and pelvis for cancer. Study author Dr. Ganesh R. Veerappan said that this method of screening "should be considered as an alternative to optical colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening or as a onetime procedure to identify significant treatable intracolonic an extracolonic lesions."

Imagine a simple annual 100% effective blood test to see if you have ovarian cancer. Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have developed this new kind screening.

Typically, patients don't know they have ovarian cancer because it is asymtomatic in its early stages. The new approach can detect this "silent killer" before it has reached very advanced stages (80% of patients are diagnosed at later stages.)

The implications may be "earth-shatteringly important" because "it's possible that there are also signatures for other cancers, not just ovarian, so (they're) also going to be using the same approach to look at other types of cancers."

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The majority of biopsies being done are less invasive than ever before. That's because with the help of imaging in the form of CT scans, ultrasound and MRI, a needle is guided to remove tissue or fluids to test for disease. An "image-guided biopsy (also) allows more definitive diagnosis and shorter hospital stays," according to Dr. Robert Quencer, chair of radiology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

The use of imaging guidance also enables more efficient and safer targeting of lesions.

Source: MedlinePlus, health information from the National Library of Medicine

For more on cancer screening and colonoscopy, visit 50somethinginfo.com

Chest Compressions Matter

Chest compressions are important in sudden cardiac arrest (total, abrupt and unexpected loss of heart function). Even before being treated with an electrical defibrillator to try to revive the heart's normal rhythm.

Learning chest compressions is simple. The procedure involves putting the heel of one's hand on the chest, locking the wrist, and pushing downward a couple inches repeatedly in a pumping action.

Source: MedlinePlus, health information from the National Library of Medicine

For more on CPR, visit 50somethinginfo.com